Folding vehicle for children



Sept. 14, 1954 TOQHEY 2,689,135

I FOLDING VEHICLE FOR CHILDREN Filed June 19, 1952 V 3 Sheeis-Sheet l Fil y, avas-run FRANCIS D. TOOI'IEY ATTORNEY BY (0M P 1954 F. D. TOOHEY FOLDING VEHICLE FOR CHILDREN 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 19, 1952 INVENTOR FRAN IS 0. TOOI'IEY @M %%W% ATTORNEY P 1954 F. D. TOOHEY FOLDING VEHICLE FOR CHILDREN 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 19, 195:2

INVENTOR FRANCIS D. TOOHEV Patented Sept. 14, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOLDING VEHICLE FOR CHILDREN Application June 19, 1952, Serial No. 294,309

The present invention relates to childrens vehicles, of the type that can be used either as a pushcart or stroller when propelled by a handle, or can be used as a baby walker with the handle and footrest removed.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved connection between the handle and body of the vehicle, whereby the body parts thereof can be folded into collapsed condition by operations readily performed by the use of one hand and one foot only, thus leaving one arm free for holding the baby, if necessary. The handle is also readily removable from the vehicle frame which is adapted to be latched in an extended condition independently of the handle, should it be desired to use the vehicle as a baby walker, with the footrest also removed.

The above and other objects of the invention will hereinafter more fully appear from the following description, considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. l is a view in side elevation of a vehicle embodying the present invention, with one rear wheel broken away to show the frame construction.

Fig; 2 is a view in rear elevation of the vehicle, shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation, showing the vehicle of Fig. 1 in a partially collapsed condition.

Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation, showing the vehicle of Fig. 1 in a fully collapsed condition.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view upon an enlarged scale, showing the relation between parts of the frame and the handle, as well as the double latching mechanism for holding the parts in extended condition.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view illustrating the construction, which permits folding of a separate grip portion of the handle.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, the vehicle consists of a base I which extends horizontally and provides a cross-bar 2 at its front end to which wheels 3 are attached by means of brackets 4, each turnable about a vertical pivot 5 extending through the bar 2. The rear of the base I is in the form of a yoke, the spaced sides 6 of which are connected by pivots 1 to a pair of upwardly extending arms 8, the lower ends of which are turnable about an axle 9 which carries the rear wheels I 0.

The upper ends of the arms 8 serve to support the rear portion of a frame I I by means of pivots I2 which permit relative movement between the frame and the arms. The forward portion of the 9 Claims. (01. 280-41) frame II is supported by a link l3 pivotally connected at both ends to the frame II and to the base I. A seat I4 is carried by the frame II with the seat hanging freely from the frame II by reason of its connection to a band I5 of flexible material, such as fabric, secured around its upper edge to the frame I I. The seat I4 provides a forwardly extending bar I6 that is straddled by the legs of a child occupying the seat, with the front end of the bar I6 having a slot I! through which the link I3 extends.

, It will be apparent from the foregoing description of the various parts of the vehicle that the body thereof, as represented by the frame II, seat M and band l5, can be folded downwardly upon the base I by turning the arms 8 about the axle 9, this folding operation being illustrated, as partially completed, in Fig. 3. Generally speaking, the construction described thus far is usual in folding vehicles of this general type and the present invention is largely concerned with an arrangement whereby the folding of the body members into the collapsed condition of Fig. 4 is accomplished by means of a handle I-I connected to the arms 8 in such manner that a continuous downward movement thereof will result in completely collapsing the vehicle.

As will be seen from a comparison between Fig. 1 and Fig. 3, the handle H is made in two parts, with one handle part comprising a grip I8 and the other part comprising a pair of arms I9 that are connected to the grip It by a pivot 20. A latch 2| pivoted on the grip I8 serves to hold the grip in alignment with the arms I9, with the latch 2| being normally held by a. spring 22 in engagementwith a latch plate 23 mounted on the arms I9. By turning the latch 2| into the dotted line position of Fig. 6, the release of the latch permits the grip It to be swung downwardly at an angle to the arms I9 in preparation for initiating the folding of the vehicle, as shown in Fig. 3.

The arms i9 which form the lower part of the handle H are connected by pivots 24 to the arms & which extend upwardly from the axle 9. These pivots 24 are freely received in slots 25 at the ends of the handle arms I9, so that the arms I9 can be turned independently of the arms 8, and if desired, can be removed from these arms by bodily shifting the handle to bring enlarged portions 25a of the slots 25 into register with heads 24a on the pivots M, as shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 1 shows the relation between the parts when the vehicle is being used as a pushcart or stroller, with the handle H fully extended. In

this condition of the vehicle, the arms 8 which support the seat frame II are locked in a substantially vertical position by means of a pair of latches 26 turnable on the arms 8 so as to engage latch plates 21, extending downwardly from ends of the arms 6 on the base I. A spring 28 serves to hold each latch 26 in the position of Fig. 1, with the two latches 26 being connected together by a push bar 29 extending across the rear of the vehicle, as shown in Fig. 2, so that the bar may be engaged and swung downwardly by foot pressure.

In order to hold the arms I 9 of the handle H in a substantially vertical osition, a second pair of latches 30 are turnable about pivots 3| on the arms 8. Each latch 30 cooperates with a latch plate 32 fixed on an arm I9, and the latches 30 are normally held in engagement with the plates 32 by springs 33. Therefore, the latches 26 and 30 perform the double function of maintaining the arms 8 in vertical position in reference to the base I, as well as maintaining the handle arms I9 in a vertical position, with reference to the frame arms 8.

It is to be noted that the projecting ends of the upper latches 30 are connected by links 34 to the projecting ends of the lower latches 26 that are joined together by the push bar 29. Therefore, downward movement of the bar 29 by foot pressure will result in simultaneously turning both pairs of latches 26 and 30 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1. When this occurs, both pairs of latches 26 and 30 are released from their latch plates 2? and 32, so that the frame arms 8 are then free to turn about the axle 9, while the handle arms are free to turn about their pivots 24 on the arms 8. However, the mere releasing of the latches 26 and 30 is not sufficient to collapse the vehicle and the present invention is particularly concerned with the action that occurs when the handle H is pushed downwardly, following release of the latches by pressing one foot on the bar 29.

I The first step in folding the vehicle resides in releasing the latch 2| so that the grip I8 can be turned about pivot 20 to extend substantially horizontally. Then while still holding down push bar 29 by one foot, the user, while grasping the grip I8 with one hand, pushes forward with the grip. When this occurs, both arms I9 are first free to turn about their pivots 24 on the arms 8 through release of the latches 38, and this turning continues until the arms I9 reach the dotted line position of Fig. to engage a projection 35 at the end of each arm with a pin 36 extending from the side of an arm 8.

Fig. 3 shows the engagement of a projection 35 with a pin 36 as having just occurred, and it is obvious that thereafter any downward movement of the arms I9 will be imparted to the arms 8. Since the arms 8 are free to turn about the pivots l on the frame I, as well as about the axle 9, any further movement of the arms I9, after engagement of the pins 36 with the projections 35, will result in downward movement of the arms 8. In other words, when once the arms I9 are incapable of turning any further about their pivots 24, the arms I9, in effect, become part of the arms 8, in so far as any additional downward movement of the arms I9 is concerned.

Fig. 4 shows the vehicle as having been completely collapsed and it will be seen that in this condition the arms I9 still have their projections 35 in engagement with the pins 36 on the arms 8. However, when it is desired to again extend the vehicle from its collapsed condition, an upward pull applied to the grip I8 will first turn the arms I9 independently of the arms 8 for a short distance until the upper latch plates 32 engage the curved ends of the latches 38. When this occurs, the upwardly moving latch plates 32 exert a camming action on the latches 30 which results in turning the latches until they snap into locking position. Thereafter, the arms 8 will move with the arms I9 until the arms 8 are substantially vertical.

As the arms 8 turn on their pivots I from the fully collapsed position of Fig. 4 into the extended position of Fig. 1, curved surfaces on the ends of the latches 26 will engage the latch plates 2! that are fixed to the sides 6 of the base I. Therefore, as the arms 8 reach a substantially vertical position, the camming action of the latch plates 21 will turn the latches 26 until they snap over the latch plates 21, whereupon the parts will again occupy the position of Fig. 1, wherein both the frame arms 8 and the handle arms I9 are held in alignment with each other by the combined locking action of the latches 26 and 30.

I claim:

1. A folding vehicle of the class described comprising in combination, a base member extending horizontally, wheels mounted at opposite ends of said base member, a pair of arms pivotally mounted on said base member and extending upwardly for supporting a seat frame which is collapsible on said base member in response to downward turning movement of said arms, a pusher handle pivotally mounted on said arms and a fixed abutment on one arm engageable by.

said handle for imparting pivotal movement of said handle to said arms to collapse the vehicle,

upon turning of said handle through a predeter' mined angle independently of said arms.

2. A folding vehicle of the class described comprising in combination, a base member extending horizontally, wheels mounted at opposite ends of said base member, a pair of arms pivotally mounted on said base member and extending upwardly for supporting a seat frame which is collapsible on said base member in response to downward turning movement of said arms, a pusher handle pivotally mounted on said arms, a fixed abutment on one arm engageable by said handle for imparting pivotal movement of said handle to said arms to collapse the vehicle, upon turning of said handle through a predetermined angle independently of said arms, and means for latching said handle to prevent pivotal movement thereof on said arms when the handle is used as a pusher.

3. A folding vehicle of the class described comprising in combination, a base member extending horizontally, wheels mounted at opposite ends of said base member, a pair of arms pivotally mounted on said base member and extending upwardly for supporting a seat frame which is collapsible on said base member in response to downward turning movement of said arms, a pusher handle pivotally connected to said arms, means for imparting pivotal movement of said handle to said arms to collapse the vehicle, after said handle has been turned through a predetermined angle independently of said arms, means for latching said arms to maintain them in an upright position to hold the seat frame extended, means for latching said handle against pivotal movement on said arms when said handle is used as a pusher, and

means for simultaneously unlatching said arms and handle in advance of collapsing the vehicle by downward movement of said handle.

4. A folding vehicle of the class described comprising in combination, a base member extending horizontally, wheels mounted at opposite ends of said base member, a pair of arms pivotally mounted on said base member and extending upwardly for supporting a seat frame which is collapsible on said base member in response to downward turning movement of said arms, a pusher handle pivotally connected to said arms, means for imparting pivotal movement of said handle to said arms to collapse the vehicle after said handle has been turned through a predetermined angle independently of said arms, a first latch for maintaining said arms in upright position with the seat frame extended, a second latch for holding said handle against pivotal movement on said arms and a foot treadle connected to said latches for releasing them in unison to permit movement of said handle to collapse said seat frame in response to movement of said arms therewith,

5. A folding vehicle of the class described comprising in combination, a base member extending horizontally, wheels mounted at opposite ends of said base member, a pair of arms pivotally mounted on said base member and extending upwardly for supporting a seat frame which is collapsible on said base member in response to downward turning movement of said arms, a pusher handle pivotally connected to said arms, a latch mounted on one arm for holding said handle against pivotal movement and a stop fixed on said arm normally spaced from a projection on said handle when the latter is in its latched position, with release of said latch permitting the turning of said handle to engage said projection with said stop and thereafter impart further turning movement of the handle to said arm.

6. A folding vehicle, as set forth in claim 1, in which the handle provides a separate grip por tion pivotally connected to the handle and turnable into a position in which it extends at an angle to the handle at the start of the folding operation.

7. A folding vehicle, as set forth in claim 1, in which said handle provides a separate grip portion capable of pivotal movement thereon, and a latch for maintaining said handle and grip portion in alignment when the handle is used as a pusher, with release of said latch permitting said grip portion to be swung into a position in which a push on the grip portion will apply a downward turning force to said handle.

8. A folding vehicle, as set forth in claim 4, in which movement of the parts of the vehicle from a collapsed to an extended position will be accompanied by operation of said latches from a released to a locking position.

9. A folding vehicle, as set forth in claim 4, in which each latch provides a cam portion which is operable to move the latch from a released to a locking position in response to movement of the parts of the vehicle from a collapsed to an extended position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,539,993 Davis Jan. 30, 1951 2,576,356 Peterson Nov. 27, 1951 2,607,605 Lines Aug. 19, 1952 

